A new vaginal ring just entering human trials would release both levonorgestrel, a hormonal contraceptive, and tenofovir, an antiretroviral that has been shown to inhibit the replication of HIV and herpes simplex virus-2.

This week, a novel approach to infertility is announced, a new vaginal ring might be able to protect from HIV transmission, and the answer to preventing drug-resistant gonorrhea may be in our own immune systems.